Frequently Asked Questions

Document scanning is the process of converting your paper documents into digital files using specialist document scanners. These digital documents can then be placed in secure document management systems that allow you to access, share, save & save your documents more securely and in line with GDPR compliance.

There are many benefits to scanning your documents, some of the most common reasons we see are below:

• Space Saving: Eliminate Bulky filing cabinets and free up valuable office space.

• Improve accessibility: Find Documents instantly with a quick digital search.

• Enhanced Security: Protect confidential information with user access control and document safeguarding.

• Reduced disaster risk: Digital documents can be backed in in cloud operating systems meaning, should the worst happen, your documents will stay safe from flood or fire damage.

• Boost productivity: Digital documents can be streamlined to follow workflows removing the need for manual intervention or moving around the office.

• Go Green: Reducing your reliance on paper can not only provide large cost saving on office supplies but contribute to a more sustainable environment.

• Future proof your business: With the introduction of AI driven data capture systems, digitising your documentation is a faster way of being able to adopt systems that can extract and evaluate valuable information you are not accessing.

It is important you select a scanning bureau that can scan all document types, Plan2Scan mobilise a wide range of high-performance scanning insuring we can capture every document type’s including:

• All business documentation (client files, contracts, receipts invoices etc).
• Legal documentation
• Medical records
• Architectural Plans
• Photos and negatives
• Books and bound materials

Plan2Scan offer secure document destruction, cross shred and pulping with a certificate of destruction to keep for your records. Alternatively, you can have your documents completely re-constituted and returned to you in the format they were collected. Be assured, no documents are sent for destruction before we have sign off in writing from you the customer. Plan2Scan also provide document storage should you decide you do not want your documents returned or destroyed.

It can be very daunting to send your business-critical documentation off site for digitisation. Always ensure that any provider you choose have at least an IS0 9001 certification and can provide the relevant security measures such as 24-hour CCTV, document control & site access control. Plan2Scan have gone above these measures and have been accredited with ISO 9001, 14001, & 27001 and is trusted by customers such as NHS, MoD & SSE.

We typically scan documents to industry-standard formats like PDF or searchable PDF. We can however output in any format you need including TIFF, JPEG, DWG etc.

The cost of document scanning can vary depending on the volume of documents you have, the type of documents i.e. large format plans and any additional products you need. Plan2Scan can provide an accurate quotation within 20 minutes of contact.

The turnaround time for document scanning depends on the volume and complexity of the scanning project. Plan2Scan have a dedicated project teams that will assess and provide you with an estimated turnaround time with your quotation.

Plan2Scan have a dedicated preparation team that will remove staples, paperclips, and other foreign objects before they are passed to our scanning teams. This is also a chance for us to repair any documents that are torn, and place posit staps on the back of the documents to ensure no data is covered up. Plan2Scan will handle the whole process from boxing & Collection to the return of your digital data.

Plan2Scan have a dedicated preparation team that will look through and sort all documents individually before they are taken for scanning, any documents that are deemed a risk of tear by the standard are placed with our imaging team to manually capture the documentation under a photo scanner removing the risk of document damage. Should we find any unscannable documents you will be notified.

Here are a few ways to help you estimate the volume of images you have to scan:

• Emailing photos are always a great way for us to provide you with an accurate estimation of how many images you have to scan.

• Box count, if your documents are stored in archive boxes you can provide us with the volume of boxes you have, and we can estimate the volume of images for you. On average a standard archive box will hold around 2,200 images.

• Provide Plan2Scan with the volume of files, filing cabinets, archive boxes, lever arch files etc and we will provide you with an estimated image count.

Remember: These are just estimations, we recommend you contact Plan2Scan to have a quick discussion around the types of documents you have and how you are storing them, this will provide a much more accurate quotation.

Determining document retention periods can be complex, but here is a general guide:

• Identify the type of document: Different documents have different legal and regulatory requirements for retention.

• Consult relevant regulations: Plan2Scan can provide free over the phone guidance around document retention as we work closely with governmental regulatory bodies. You can also use government websites, industry associations or legal counsel.

• Business needs: How long do you need to keep a document for practical purposes i.e. audits, claims references?

National archives (UK) : https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/information-management/manage-information/policy-process/disposal/advice-on-retention/

Yes, in all cases you can recall your documentation while they are still being scanned by Plan2Scan. Plan2Scan will provide you with a support line that you can contact for emergency retrievals should you need them, we will look to provide you these documents within 4 hours of your request depending on volumes.

Yes, documents can be scanned and made text searchable using a technology called optical character recognition (OCR). OCR software analyses scanned images of text and converts them into a digital format that can be searched electronically using a keyword or phrase.

Benefits of Text searchable PDFs:

• Fater document retrieval: Find any document instantly by searching for keywords within the document context.
• Improved workflow efficiency: Eliminate the need to manually sift through physical documents for specific information.
• Enhanced Accessibility: Users can easily search for specific terms across multiple scanned documents.

Plan2Scan offers text searchable PDF as an option for our document scanning services.

Your invoice from Plan2Scan will clearly breakdown the costs associated with your document scanning project: Here is a typical breakdown:

• Scanned images: This cost is based on the volume of documents we have scanned, you will only be charged for the volume of documents we have scanned not the estimated volumes.

• Document preparation: This is an hourly rate based on the physical removal of staples, paperclips and document sorting.

• Indexing: This is the cost for manually renaming the PDF files to the original titles, In some cases this process can be automated and this charge removed.

• Collection: Based on how many boxes we need to collect and if we need to box and pack the documents for you.

• OCR processing: (optional) if you choose to have your documents converted to text searchable PDF files there might be a small additional charge.

Plan2Scan will provide you with a free quotation outlining the estimated breakdown of costs before the project of digitisation begins. This ensures transparency and allows you to budget accordingly.

Here’s how Plan2Scan ensures cost transparency:

• Free Quote: We provide a free quote outlining a detailed breakdown of estimated costs before you proceed.

• A La Carte Services: You only pay for the services you need.

• Clear Communication: Our team will discuss your project requirements and explain any potential additional costs upfront.

We recommend being cautious of scanning providers who don’t offer a transparent cost breakdown. It’s important to get a clear understanding of all associated fees before deciding.